On this page 4 sections
An ancient and tolerant Islam
Almost all Comorians are Sunni Muslims of the Shafi'i school, as along the whole Swahili coast. Sufi brotherhoods, such as the Shadhiliyya or the Qadiriyya, have played an important role in the spread of Islam and in religious life. Every village has its Friday mosque and its Koranic schools.
The Maoulid
The festival of the Prophet's birth (Maoulid, or Mawlid) is one of the highlights of the year. For several weeks, villages take turns organising recitations of poems and collective religious chants, sometimes accompanied by rhythmic movements, and shared meals.
Ramadan and Eid
During the month of Ramadan, days are quiet and evenings lively around the breaking of the fast. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fast: new clothes, family visits, gifts for children. Eid al-Adha (Aïd el-Kébir) commemorates the sacrifice of Abraham. These festivals follow the lunar calendar and come about ten days earlier each year.
Civic holidays
- 6 July: Independence Day of the Union of the Comoros.
- 27 April: commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Mayotte.
- 14 July: French national day, celebrated in Mayotte.
See the full calendar.
